Looking for book recommendations

Book Clubs
#1

I have been reading コンビニ人間 (I am getting close to the end, so no spoilers yet please!) over the last couple of months and I would like some book recommendations for something of a similar level. I passed N2 last year but I don’t read much. Some criteria:

-Japanese authors please.
-Books realised in the last 5-10 years would be prefereable but nothing much older than that please.
-Simple-ish, real worldy stories would be great (no fantasy/sci-fi/historical). I might not be able to read regularly (I have two kids and am super busy) so easy to pick up again stories would be great.
-Short novels would be ideal.
-I don’t really want to start any series of novels either. Just one book and done, on to the next story.

I’ll add more criteria if I think of anything…

Hit me! and thank you!

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#2

世界から猫が消えたなら - Release 2012. The book is quite easy to read and I found it enjoyable. It feels like a movie in a way. Its broken up in 7 or 8 chapters (days). Here is Bookwalker link if you would like to read a sample (just press on the book image): 世界から猫が消えたなら

三日間の幸福 - I really liked the manga version, 寿命を買い取ってもらった。一年につき、一万円で
Here is the light novel link to check the sample on Bookwalker: 三日間の幸福

コーヒーが冷めないうちに - It seems to be really popular this year… Though I think may be the first book in a series…

Hope some of this helps.

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#3

Great! Thanks! The name of the first rings a bell… I’ll take a look at them all though. Thanks again!!!

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#4

I’d really recommend https://learnnatively.com/ and the forums on natively for book inspiration.

Some good authors from my point of view (I passed N2 basically just through reading lots):
今村夏子 (her books have very day to day qualities, but also mix in either a subtle creepiness, or a fairytale element, or both)

よしもとバナナ (slightly older that your range, but her books can have heartwarming, melancholy, LGBT themes, and generally feel quite fresh)

高瀬 隼子 (おいしいごはんが食べられように is maybe slightly on the harder side, but is a wild ride of office drama)

#5

Thanks. I’ll look into them. I read Kitchen by Yoshimoto Banana many times way back when and loved it.

#6

The only book on my want-to-read list that seems to match all your criteria is 店長がバカすぎて.

#7

I would recommend 木曜日にはココア by 青山 美智子. I have only read two chapters so far but each chapter seems to be a short vignette so I think it would fit your criteria. I read another of her works in English translation, What You Are Looking For Is In The Library and thoroughly enjoyed it.

#8

Also it has audio version somewhere
I didn’t finish it so far, did only 2 chapters, still not getting what type of book it is
ps: I mean 猫